The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-08-13
AN AERONAUT'S STORY
Leeds Mercury.

Leeds Mercury.
 A great crowd gathered to see me ascend. Some of the citizens had courage failed at the last moment, and resolved to go alone.
 Wherever 1 had made ascensions, although in widely different places, I had always noticed among the specta- tors a young man whose unusual pal Tor and deep -sunken, great eyes had impressed me. He was greatly inter- ested in my undertaking, and pressed near to offer any assistance. had be- come so used to his presence that at F. I involuntarily looked around for him as l called to my men to make ready. The unknown stood close by the barrier, paler and more haggard than ever. Isprang into the boat and ordered the rope to be cut.
 At the same moment l saw move ment among the spectators, but did not heed it, as l was arranging some things in the bottom of the boat, and was stooping over and busy when the quickly rising balloon was high in the air. Great was my astonishment when I looked up and saw that strange-looking young man with me-
 "Your obedient servant, sir" said he politely.
 By what right are you here?" I asked indignantly.
 "You could not escape me; there fore I have a right to be here," he said.
 Perplexed by this answer I was si- lent. Untroubled by my amazement, he went on: 'In this way we shall never go up." With these words he seized two bags of ballast and cast them out.
 Sir" l cried, angrily catching his arm. 'I cannot allow that" The barometer showed me that the balloon had risen two thousand feet. "We must descend," said "those clouds darkening around us, and growing blacker and heavier in the south, warn us of a thunderstorm"
 "No," he cried, "we must dash through the clouds; the lightning shall flash far below us," and once more two bags of ballast flew over- board. l struggled to hold him back, but he pushed me to the floor with one hand, while he carried out his purpose with the other, saying: "I am very sorry, but I see you do not understand the thing, so I must take the whole control. Now, don't inter- fere with me again."
 He continued throwing overheard bag after bag of ballast, holding me firmly back as soon as I tried to pre- vent his actions. I saw I had to deal with a madman, far my superior in physical St 'ength, so resolved to try cunning. l tried to interest him in conversation while slyly pulled the valve-rope and hoped to bring the balloon down before he observed our course.
 Suddenly he said: "You have opened the valve in spite of my or ders." dropped the string. "For- tunately," he continued, while he flung some bags over the side, 'we have yet 200 pounds of ballast. I allowed you to open the valve because the gas threatened to burst the bal loon, but don't you do it again." The clouds sailed under us in glittering stream, on which the balloon cast a deep shadow. Thunder rumbled far below.
 Once more he frightened the balloon by fifty pounds, and it shot upward like an arrow. The delirium of my uncomfortable companion seemed to increase in proportion to our distance from the earth.
 "Higher, higherl You need not know more"
 With these words he flung the con- pass out I was helpless as a child before the man. To my urgent en- treaties to have our course changed he only cried: "I am out of patience with you. Now you shall no longer know whether we go up or down." Then he threw the barometer and half the remaining ballast after the con- pass. Even higher rose the balloon my heart throbbed as if it would burst; blood flowed from my nose and mouth. 5%1
 Desperation gave me strength. I struggled with him, but had to yield. He threw me to the floor, and. holding me there, he took knife from his pocket and cut a rope. ~ With shriek flew to the end of the boat, instinctively chung to the